Power-driven swing



Aug. 14, 1951 B. SCHROUGHAM 2,564,547

POWER DRIVEN SWING Filed NOV. 21, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F. t 3- INVENTOR.

i 5 fimgToN SCHROUGHAM Bug/M 75 Aug. 14, 1951 Filed Nov. 21, 1946 B. SCHROUGHAM 2,564,547

POWER DRIVEN 'SWING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORL BENTON Scimoue'zmM,

Patented Aug. 14, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE Benton Schrougham, Beech Grove, Ind.

Application November 21, 1946, Serial No. 711,305

. The present invention relates to a device for operating a swing in which a prime mover drives a crankshaft which is so associated with the swing as to apply force to the swing in one direc tion only.

It is the primary object of the present invention to impart an oscillating motion to a swin by means of a rotary driven shaft having oppositely extending crank arms which engage one side only of the strands supporting the swing.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide for an A-type swing standard comprising two separate standard elements having their cross-bars clamped together by means of clamps and a housing containing the aforementioned swing-actuating device. The swing support strands are connected to the cross-bars adjacent said swing-actuating device in such a manner as to allow for the engagement of the crank arms extending from said device with these strands.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an electric motor driven worm and wheel assembly to which is connected at crankshaft; the purpose of this installation being to sufliciently reduce the speed of the electric motor for its effective utilization by said crankshaft. The above-mentioned mechanism is contained in a housing comprising a strip of sheet metal bent to a substantially oval form, the adjacent ends of thisstrip being hooked to engage over the two bar members which form the cross bar of the swing standard, together with end closure plates for holding said strip in oval form. The crankshaft protrudes through these closure plates with the axis defined by said shaft substantially parallel to the defined axis of said crossbar.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. l is a perspective illustration of an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar illustration presenting a cutaway view of the prime mover and its associated worm and wheel assembly; and the crankshaft;

.and

Fig. 3 is a schematic wiring diagram. Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings. it will be seen that I have illustrated a 8 Claims. (Cl. 155-59) 10 ing the cross-bar l3.

swing I supported on strands l l and I2 which: are secured to the cross-bar I3 of the standard. indicated generally by the reference numeral 14.. The swing-actuating unit I 5 is shown in its oper- 5 ating position with the crank arm [6 about to:

engage the strand I2. The standard l4 comprises: two frame members, generally of inverted U- shape, I! and it! with the cross-bars thereof clamped together by clamps l9 and 21] thus form-- The method of securing: unit [5 to the cross-bar l3 will be explained more fully later.

' The driving assembly, illustrated in Fig. 2, includes an electric motor 2|, a gear reduction sysl5 tem preferably including a worm 22 and a wheel 23, a variable transformer 24, and a crankshaft 25 which is secured to wheel 23 by the set screw means indicated by reference numeral 26. These: elements are housed in a container 21 comprising a strip of sheet metal 28 bent to a substantially oval form, the adjacent ends of this strip] being formed to provide hooks 29 and 30 to en-- gage the cross-bars of the frame members I l and. I8 respectively. Clamps l9 and 20, of which only;

clamp I9 is shown in this figure, are of conven-- tional design, and serve the joint purpose of hold-- ing the frame members I! and I8 together to form: the. cross-bar I3 and of firmly securing the con-- tainer 21 to the swing standard. End closure:

plates 31 and 32 are provided with perimetral'.

flanges engaging the external surface of strip'28 at its opposite edges and preferably secured there to by screws or other suitable fastening means, closure plate 32 being cut away, as shown at 32.

for a purpose whichwill later become apparent;

Upon energization of the electric motor 2|; through the speed regulating transformer 24, pulley 33, which is secured to shaft 34 of said motor, is caused to rotate. Pulley belt 35 transferring this rotary motion to pulley 36 and shaft 31, which is suitably supported on a bracket 38, causes the shaft 31 and worm 22 to rotate. Another shaft-25 having oppositely extending crank arms I6 and 39, suitably supported on support brackets 40 and 4|,v will then rotate byvirtue'of the .engagement of worm 22,, with the wheel 23. "Needless to say, the "speedj'of rotation of these crank arms will. depend lipon .the driving ratio between the worm and wheel as well as the particular adjustmentonthe speed regulating trans- A conventional type power rd '42 the'meai'ls used to feed electric energy to the primary circult of the speed regulating transformer 24 56 through a variable rheostat 43 controlled by a. manually manipulable lever 43' accessible through the cut-away portion 32' of the end plate 32. The secondary circuit of this transformer 24 is wired to the energizing winding of the electric motor 2| by wires 44 and 45. It is thus seen that by adjusting the rheostat 43 the primary exciting current will correspondingly change, thus changing the potential impressed upon the energizing winding of the electric motor 2| to vary the speed; of rotation. of the motor shaft 34.

Referring again to Fig. 1, it will be seen that when the electric motor 2| is energized, thecrank arms I6 and 39 will rotate and thus; engage the straps 4B and 4'I'on one side only, so that the strands need not follow the: crank. armsthrough one-half of eachmevDlutiQn.

I prefer to mount on the shaft 31 a flywheel 48, which will tend to smooth out the efiieetuporr. the motor I I of variations in the resistance to rotat on oi. th rankedshaic ztnroduced ha the swingrsunnc ting straps.

I; claim as invention;-

1:.-. .an annar us irthechara t r es rib a swing standard, a. sw-mg suspended. thereon. @ILQIQQHQQ motor driven means; supported onseid standard; o mpar ing; imnuls s of. f rce. to said swing; one direction; only, a, variable resistance connected in; the'energizing; circuitfor. saidmotor, a. arna. and: w rm:-and-whe l. assembly oneratively connecting; said; motor to. drive. said crank arm.

2;- insist n -a t ating devi e-commisi ganl ric motcn. va iab e resistance: connected in the. ner iz n c rcu t; of. said.- motor.. a w rmcndrwheel assem lyi acrank arm. a shaft arryng; aid crank arm. a d. assembly connectin said: otor to: said. shaft. t riv aid shaft.. and ametalho s na comp isin dist/rip of. sheetmetai bent. to. a substantiallyoval: form the: adj acent.

ends f; i str p: b ng; o ed. to n a e. over ho izontal. frame members.. of; a. swing Standard, end; enclosure plates secu e to. said. housing for holding said. housing in its. oval form, said-. shaft miq m n through. saidp atesinv such amann r 1. said housing, said housing containing; theiswingactuati g mechanism...

1.1 an: apnaratus. of the character described. a: wing.- s a d. a; swing including, two. flexible dependin lem nts. snended thereon... an. electric. mot r.- driv.en..means sunpor edon-said-standarcLfor imparting impul'sesof, forcetosaidswing in. o irection. o ly. a d; means. comprisin an, electric motor, a. wormrand-wheel ass mbly. two cranksarmsrespectively. arrangedfor, operative engagement with; said depending elements, a. shaft. carrying, said. crank: arms,, said motor causing said crank. armato rotate, by means, of sa d ass m y which, is. operatively onnectedto sai sh ft, and. a p ed. regula ing, rheos at;connected Y in. the energizing. circuit of. saidimotor;

4... In an app ratusofi he. charact r described. aswing standard; comprisingtwo U shaped frame memb rs, said memb rs bei a i incditogether at. their... min r. horizontali ros ib r with he; a e defined y, saidbarsbeine substantial ii'narallel to form. a. single cross bar for said standard? a housing, a. swmggactuating mechanism; said housing comprising; a strip; ofsheetmetalibent to a substantially oval form with its adjacent endsbeing formed to provide, hooks, said hooks said. rank; arm. will. be,- located outside. of 4 t engaging over said members respectively and thus being secured to said single cross bar, and a swing, said swing-actuating mechanism being contained within said housing and operatively engaging said swing on one side only.

5. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a flexible strip bent to bring its opposite ends substantially into juxtaposition, an electric motor supported on said strip intermediate the ends thereof; means supported on said strip providingbearings adjacent opposite edges of said strip, a horizontal shaft journalled in said bearings and projecting beyond said strip edges, crank means carried at the projecting ends of said shaft, a worm wheel fixed to said shaft, means mounted on said strip adjacent said motor and said first-named means and providing a bearing support, a second shaft journalled in said bearmg -support, a worm carried on said second shaft and operatively engaging said worm wheel, means connecting. said. motor andsaid second shaft. to drive said. second. shaft, closure. plates. engaging the opposite. edges of said strip-to hold? the ends said. strip, in substantial juxtaposition, and means for controlling the speed of operation of said. motor.

6;, Ahousing for a swingactuating device com.- prising a. strip. of sheet metal, bent to a substanctially oval form, the, adjacent ends. of. said strip being" hooked to engage over frame. members of a. swing. standard; end enclosure plates secured to. said; housing? for holding said housing in its oval form, and means supported on said strip providing axially. aligned bearings adjacent opposite edges. of said" strip. to supporta shaft ijcurnalied in said; bearings.

'T; A swing-actuating, device comprising. motor means, means for varying thespeed of"said'mo tor means, a. crank shaft; rotary motion transfer means connecting said motor means with said crankshaft,- and a housing for containing said motor means and its associatedmechanism: comprisinga strip of sheet material bent-to a sub.- stantially-ovali form, means connectingthe adjacent. ends of said strip to horizontal frame members ofr'a swingstandard, and meanssecured to said strip for holding said housing" in its oval form, said' shaft projecting; beyond the edges of said'strip:

8;- A- swing-actuatingdevice comprising acrank shaft; a housing; bearing means mounted within said housing to support said'shaft; aworm wheel carried'on said= shaft; a second shaft; a worm carriedonsaid-second shaft engaging saidwheel, and means carried on said second shaft adapted to receive motive power; said:- housing" comprising astrip of sheetmaterialbent to a' substantially'ova-F form, the adjacent" ends of said strip being hooked to engage over horizontal frame members-0P a swing standard I BENTQN SCHRQUGHAM.

REFERENCES; CITED:

The following references areof i record in th fileofthis patent:

2,274,310 Walter Feb. 24, 19.42 

